kicad-developers team mailing list archive

[Mário Luzeiro <mrluzeiro@xxxxx>]

Hello all,

I am bringing here today some discussion about 3d-viewer future.
Special I am looking for the 3d-viewer user opinions and for a technical opinion from GAL and Pcbnew developers.

When I started my contributions to 3d-viewer, I noticed that it was a kicad's forgotten piece. I rewrite some parts, improve a bit other.. a bit of wire, tape.. and decorations.
There are still some room for improvement, however, the way it is now, there is no possibility to make huge advances in functionalities and features.

The way it is now is a good candidate for the next stable versions, small improvements of fixes can still be supported, but for myself I am not enthusiast adding more features as it is.

Are there any old discussed ideas for the 3d-viewer?

I see the 3d functionality in a PCB Cad software with two big group functionalities:

1 - Full integrated (with pcbnew and all kicad) 3D designer.
2 - Visualization tool.

For 1, I see two options
1A - Help to design the PCB (example, component placement in real-time visualization, 2D track design... 3D position in the board.. )
1B - Things that ultimately lead to have 3D DRC.

For 2, I see two options
2A - A visualization CAD (thats what KiCad 3d-viewer is much now), eventually with assembly check and some details.
2B - A realistic rendering ("marketing eye-candy material")

So, right now it is a bit of 2A and a bit of 2B, but from 1, all we have is the model list, position, scale, rotation information and there are any other communication or design features.


I was checking a bit what other commercial software packages do, I found Xpedition from Mentor Graphics.. it looks very capable/featured for me (but Kicad 3d-viewer look quality if better IMO!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGn6JU3fWnM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjG__1vL24w
http://www.mentor.com/pcb/xpedition/3d-layout/


How interesting (as a user utility and as for KiCad project) will be in the future this type of features? Since schematic and PCB design part is almost perfect :P I think that 3d-viewer could be in 3rd position of priorities :)

In any case, any future improvements for 3d-viewer, should be developed in a closed discussion with GAL and Pcbnew guys, since both are using openGL libraries and at least maybe some source code could be reused. Then, if we want to archive real-time, a good communication and architecture must be defined to be able to pcbnew and 3d-viewer to talk to each other (same way schematic editor is doing with pcbnew).

Of course, IMO, resources and efforts shall not be spent from the main development goals since this would be a 3rd priority. In other way, for people like me, that are just contribute for pleasure in this 3D area, this nice 3rd priority contributions can be taken.

Let me know your thoughts to see how I can contribute in the future in this area.

Regards,
Mario Luzeiro